Centuries-old snake motif ring declared treasure

A ring that may date back to the 1st Century has been declared treasure.

A treasure inquest held in Cockermouth, Cumbria, heard that the ring was found in a field in the parish of St Cuthbert Without, near Carlisle, in August 2020.

British Museum experts analysed the ring and said it could be dated from between the 1st and 10th Centuries.

The woman who found the ring said she felt "sick with shock" and she knew "immediately" that it was something "quite old and significant".

The metal detectorist, who asked not to be named, said she had gone to a field to try out some new equipment and found the ring on her detector's first signal.

"We were there until after dark out searching in case there was anything else significant nearby, but to no avail - we were still super excited to have found that," she said.

"The fact that it's that old, to have dug something up and saved it from further damage from the plough and modern farming - it feels really nice to have saved it."

The ring, which has a snake motif, is 21mm in diameter and weighs about 11g.

Experts believe it could date back to the Roman or early medieval period.

Assistant coroner Nicholas Shaw declared it treasure.

This means it can be valued and museums can bid to buy it.

Any money made from any sale, would be split between the finder and the landowner.

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